Senior men’s selection committee chairman Ajit Agarkar was in attendance at the BCA Stadium in Vadodara on Sunday, January 11, as India took on New Zealand in the opening ODI of their three-match series. The former India pacer, who took charge as chief selector in mid-2023, was seen watching the contest alongside ICC chairman Jay Shah.
As India chased down a competitive 301-run target to secure a four-wicket victory, Agarkar’s animated reactions in the stands quickly caught the cameras, especially after Rohit Sharma launched a towering six off Zakary Foulkes early in the innings. The moment came on the third ball of the sixth over when Rohit stepped into a delivery from Foulkes and sent it sailing into the stands.
Ajit Agarkar’s reaction summed up the impact of the shot, which gave India early momentum in a high-pressure chase. Rohit went on to score 26 off 29 balls, striking three fours and two sixes before being dismissed. His second maximum came off Kyle Jamieson in the seventh over, further underlining his intent to dominate the New Zealand pace attack.
ALSO READ: ECB Plans Curfew After England’s Bar Incident Fallout and Ashes Review
That six off Jamieson was not just another boundary; it took Rohit Sharma’s tally of international sixes to an unprecedented 650. He is now the first and only batter in the history of the game to reach that landmark across formats, reinforcing his reputation as one of the greatest six-hitters cricket has ever seen.
View this post on Instagram
Rohit Sharma also continues to build an impressive record against New Zealand. He now has 49 sixes in ODIs against the Black Caps. One more maximum in the remaining two matches would see him become only the second batter after Shahid Afridi to score 50 sixes against New Zealand in one-day internationals.
If Rohit Sharma manages two or more sixes in the upcoming games in Rajkot on January 14 and Indore on January 18, he will even surpass Afridi’s record for the most ODI sixes against the Kiwis.
ALSO READ: Virat Kohli Leaves Kyle Jamieson Shell Shocked After Dominant ODI Knock
Off the field, India were forced into a change after Washington Sundar was ruled out with an injury. Delhi batter Ayush Badoni, who plays for Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL, has been drafted into the squad for the remaining two ODIs. Sundar suffered acute discomfort in his left lower rib area while bowling in Vadodara and will now undergo further scans, with the BCCI medical team set to seek expert opinion before determining his return timeline.
